Angel J. Gutiérrez

Lead and cadmium in meat and meat products consumed by the population in Tenerife Island, Spain

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of lead and cadmium in chicken, pork, beef, lamb and turkey samples (both meat and meat products), collected in the island of Tenerife (Spain). Lead and cadmium were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium were 6.94 and 1.68 µg kg−1 in chicken meat, 5.00 and 5.49 µg kg−1 in pork meat, 1.91 and 1.90 µg kg−1 in beef meat and 1.35 and 1.22 µg kg−1 in lamb meat samples, respectively. Lead was below the detection limit in turkey samples and mean cadmium concentration was 5.49 µg kg−1. Mean concentrations of lead and cadmium in chicken meat product samples were 3.16 and 4.15 µg kg−1, 4.89 and 6.50 µg kg−1 in pork meat product, 6.72 and 4.76 µg kg−1 in beef meat product and 9.12 and 5.98 µg kg−1 in turkey meat product samples, respectively. The percentage contribution of the two considered metals to provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) was calculated for meat and meat products. Statistically significant differences were found for lead content in meats between the chicken and pork groups and the turkey and beef groups, whereas for cadmium concentrations in meats, significant differences were observed between the turkey and chicken, beef and lamb groups. In meat products, no clear differences were observed for lead and cadmium between the various groups.

Dietary Intake of Aluminum in a Spanish Population (Canary Islands)

The aim of this study was to analyze the aluminum content in foods and beverages most commonly consumed by the Canary Island population to determine the dietary intake of this metal throughout the Canary Islands as a whole and in each of the seven islands (Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro). Four hundred and forty samples were analyzed by ICP-OES. Estimated total intake of aluminum for the Canary population was 10.171 mg/day, slightly higher than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI; 10 mg/day for a person weighing 70 kg). Aluminum intake by age and sex of the Canary Island population was also determined and compared values from other populations, both national and international.

Daily dietary intake of iron, copper, zinc and manganese in a Spanish population

To evaluate the daily dietary intake of essential metals in the Canary Islands, the iron, copper, zinc and manganese contents in 420 food and drink samples collected in local markets were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The estimated daily dietary intakes of iron, copper, zinc and manganese are 13.161 mg/day, 2.098 mg/day, 8.954 mg/day and 2.372 mg/day, respectively. The iron dietary intake was found to be below the recommendations fixed for adult women, while the copper and manganese dietary intakes fulfilled the Recommended Dietary Allowances. The mean daily intake of zinc was below the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Cereals were found to be the food group that contributed most to the intake of these metals. While the island of El-Hierro presented iron, copper, zinc and manganese mean intakes over the estimated intakes for the whole archipelago, Fuerteventura island showed the lowest intakes. Tenerife and Fuerteventura showed the lowest iron intakes, being below the recommendations.

Total dietary intake of mercury in the Canary Islands, Spain

Estimating the risk associated with dietary intake of heavy metals by consumers is a vital and integral part of regulatory processes. The assessment of exposure to mercury shown in this paper has been performed by means of a study on the whole diet. Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 420 samples of regularly consumed food and drink. The total Hg concentrations measured in the different groups of food ranged from non-detectable to 119 µg kg−1 w/w. The fish group had the highest concentrations of total Hg. All groups of food with regulated Hg content showed levels that were lower than the legally set values. The food consumption data used in the analysis were taken from the latest nutritional survey made in the Canary Islands, Spain. The estimated total Hg intake of local population (5.7 µg/person day−1) did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limit of 0.3 mg week−1 of total mercury (43 µg/person day−1) fixed by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Fishery products contributed 96% of the total Hg intake. The mean Hg intake for each island in this archipelago, formed by seven, has also been calculated. Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro are the islands with the highest level of Hg intake (7.0, 7,0 and 6.1 µg/person day−1, respectively). La Palma Island, due to its low fish consumption, had the lowest level of Hg intake (4.5 µg/person day−1), followed by La Gomera (5.4 µg/person day−1), Tenerife (5.5 µg/person day−1) and Gran Canaria (5.6 µg/person day−1). A comparison has been made of the results obtained in this study with those found for other national and international communities.

Dietary intake of barium, bismuth, chromium, lithium, and strontium in a Spanish population (Canary Islands, Spain)

The aim of this study was to analyze barium, bismuth, chromium, lithium, and strontium contents in food and beverages consumed by the population of the Canary Islands (Spain) as well as determine dietary intake of these metals in the archipelago as a whole and in its individual islands. To this end, 440 samples were analyzed by ICP-OES and GFAAS. Barium concentrations ranged from 5.210 ± 2.117 mg/kg in nuts to 0.035 ± 0.043 mg/L in water. Viscera exhibited the highest levels of bismuth (38.07 ± 36.80 mg/kg). The cold meat and sausages group stood out for its high chromium concentrations (0.494 ± 0.257 mg/kg). The highest concentration of lithium and strontium came out in nuts (8.761 ± 5.368 mg/kg and 9.759 ± 5.181 mg/kg, respectively). The total intakes of barium, bismuth, chromium, lithium, and strontium were 0.685, 1.274, 0.087, 3.674, and 1.923 mg/day, respectively. Cereals turned out to contribute most to the dietary intake of barium, bismuth, chromium, and lithium in the Canary Islands, while fruit contributes most to the strontium intake. We also performed a metal intake study by age and sex of the population and compared the outcome with data from other regions, both national and international.

Metals in wheat flour: comparative study and safety control

Cereal industry and its derived products have a big economic and social importance worldwide. Therefore, as wheat flour is a commodity for all bread and bakery industry, it is safety is of high nutrition and toxicological interest. In this investigation we intend to study and determine the content of twelve metals in 50 samples of wheat flour coming from a wheat flour industry. Macro elements sodium, potassium magnesium and calcium, micro elements manganese, iron, copper, zinc, chrome and nickel as well as toxic trace elements cadmium and lead have been analysed. The estimated diary intake of each metal and their contribution in percentage terms to the RDI (macro and micro elements) and to the PTWI (toxic elements) has been determined. Contribution of Cd and Pb to the PTWI was very low, a fact that shows safety in this wheat flour concerning toxic metals.

Content of trace metals (iron, zinc, manganese, chromium, copper, nickel) in canned variegated scallops (Chlamys varia)

This article presents the results obtained through a study of the concentration of trace metals (iron, zinc, manganese, chromium, copper, nickel) in some conserves of variegated scallops (Chlamys varia, Bivalvia, Mollusca). A total of 300 samples of seven different commercial brands (named A, B, D, H, J, L and M) and one processing type, ‘scallop sauce’, were analysed. Samples were collected weekly in a large shopping centre in Santa Cruz de Tenerife during a 12-month period. Variegated scallops have considerable concentrations of zinc, cupper and manganese, so that their dietary intake constitutes an important source of these metals. However, they have low concentrations of chrome and nickel, and the levels of iron are similar to those found in other bivalve molluscs.

Content of toxic and essential metals in canned mussels commonly consumed in tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Concentrations of three toxic heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd) and six essential heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni) were determined in mussel conserves (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Bivalvia, Mollusca) consumed habitually by individuals in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). A total of 600 samples were analyzed, corresponding to six different commercial brands and four different processing types: pickled sauce (mixture of olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, laurel, and salt), coquille St. Jacques sauce (coquille St. Jacques broth), nature (water and salt), and bionature (water, salt, and soluble vegetal fiber). Samples were collected weekly from markets in Santa Cruz de Tenerife during a 12-month period. All values for toxic metals were lower than the permitted maximum for human consumption as proscribed in European Community Directive 2001/22/CE (1,000 microg/kg wet weight for Pb and Cd) and European Community Decision 93/351/EEC (500 microg/kg wet weight for Hg). For the six essential heavy metals, mussels are a very good source, contributing high percentages of the recommended daily allowance.

Trace elements and toxic metals in intensively produced tomatoes (lycopersicom esculentum)

INTRODUCTION Tomato is considered a healthy food due to its high content in lycopene and other health-promoting natural compounds. Tomatoes have, undoubtedly, assumed the status of a food with functional properties, considering the epidemiological evidence of reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. OBJECTIVE Samples of tomatoes from Morocco were analyzed for the mineral composition. METHODS 94 tomato samples from Morocco were analyzed. Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (FAAS) was used to determine essential elements (Copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn)) and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry with Graphite Furnace (GAAS) was used to analyzed cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). RESULTS The mean concentrations were 0.17 mg/kg, 0.73 mg/kg, 0.20 mg/kg, 0.44 mg/kg, 7.58 μg/kg and 15.8 μg/kg for Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd and Pb, respectively. The highest contribution to the intakes was observed for Cu (0.67% for adults) while that Zn showed the lowest contribution (0.14% for adult males and 0.20% for adult females). CONCLUSIONS Tomatoes are a good source of essential elements for the diet, mainly iron and zinc. Tomatoes consumption does not significantly affect the intake of heavy metals.

Heavy and trace metal concentrations in three rockpool shrimp species (Palaemon elegans, Palaemon adspersus and Palaemon serratus) from Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Trace metal concentrations (Fe, Cu, Co, Zn, Ni and V) were investigated in three rockpool shrimp species (Palaemon elegans, Palaemon adspersus and Palaemon serratus) from six littoral sampling sites (polluted and non-polluted) of Tenerife in the Canary Islands (Central Eastern Atlantic), Spain. Sex ratio for all three species has been determined: females predominate over males in all species and significant differences in total length and cephalothorax length was detected between sexes, being females larger than males. By other side, concentrations of trace metals were determined in whole specimens. Higher mean values for every metal were observed in P. adspersus. In males, higher values were observed in P. elegans and P. serratus, whereas in P. adspersus, mean values are higher in females. Finally, mean concentrations of trace metals studied were higher, in general terms, in the two clearly polluted stations: Santa Cruz of Tenerife commercial harbour and its fishery dock dependency.